Heartbeat Running
by AlreadyOnMars
Summary: A series of five vignettes showing the times Remus Lupin and Nymphadora Tonks got each other's heart's racing. Takes place from the summer after GoF to the end of HBP. One-shot


This was the first time that Nymphadora Tonks entered Number 12, Grimmauld Place. As she walked into the foyer, she tripped over the troll's foot umbrella stand, and straight into the arms of an older man. Tonks looked up to thank the man who caught her, but got lost in a pair of blue eyes. They were stormy, like the sea on certain days, and she could feel her heart speeding up. The man held onto her for a second longer than needed once she had stood up again.

"Remus Lupin," he introduced himself. Tonks took in his full appearance. His clothes were shabby, his face had quite a few scars along his cheeks and forehead and his light brown hair was tinged with grey. Nevertheless, Tonks thought him handsome.

"Thanks." She replied "I'm Tonks."

Remus raised an eyebrow. "No first name?" he questioned. She chuckled in response.

"Well, Nymphadora, but only me mum calls me that anymore." Lupin smiled, looking at her. She had bright pink hair, somewhat strange, but it suited her heart-shaped face. She wore a Weird Sisters T-shirt, slightly worn out, and a pair of trousers with large holes in the knees.

"Welcome to Number 12, Grimmauld Place, Tonks"

* * *

><p>It was near Christmas. Sirius had decorated the entire house in garlands, wreaths, enchanted Christmas lights, and, most importantly, mistletoe. Remus was walking upstairs, trying to find Sirius when he ran into Tonks, coming down to the kitchen.<p>

"Oh- Sorry. I'm always bumping into things." Tonks said, smiling apologetically.

"No trouble." Remus replied. They tried to part ways but it was as though an invisible force had them planted there. They looked at the ceiling. "Mistletoe." He stated.

"Oh, yeah, Moody warned me, Sirius put a charm on it. Anyone under it has to kiss before they go." Tonks explained.

"Ah..." _It can't hurt, can it?_ Lupin thought. The pair leaned in, their lips meeting.

They could both feel it. A small spark passed between them, and when they broke apart, Tonks pressed a finger to her lips, heart beating much faster than it had been a few seconds ago. "Well, better be going." Tonks said with a shy smile.

"Er- Yeah," replied Lupin, breathless. The spark had surprised him; he never felt that before. She turned to leave, and his heart dropped a little. Though she didn't know it, he watched her retreating form before resuming his search for Sirius.

* * *

><p>After an Order meeting, Tonks needed a book. She ventured into the Black's library, searching through the numerous shelves. When she finally found the book she needed, she realized it was on an extremely high shelf. She placed one heavily-laced boot onto the lowest shelf and began to climb up to reach that shelf.<p>

Meanwhile, Remus was looking for Tonks. After a few minutes of looking, he found her in the library, climbing up shelves.

"Tonks, what are you doing?" He asked, rather confused as to why the petite girl was holding on to the top shelf with one hand, precariously balanced, rummaging through the multitude of books.

"Wotcher, Remus! I need this book, but it was too high to reach." Tonks explained. As she said it, the wood under her feet began to buckle, not able to hold the weight of Tonks and the books. The shelf cracked, sending her flying. Books were falling along with her, Lupin dodging them from the ground. Tonks fell on top of him, knocking the werewolf to the ground.

Their faces were centimetres apart, Tonks's hands resting on Remus's chest. Their hearts began racing as they stared into the others eyes. Lupin moved his head up, capturing her lips and satisfying what both of them had wanted since Christmas. Tonks blushed a light pink. Lupin cleared his throat before moving Tonks and getting up. She got up with a hand from him, then kept a hold of his hand until he said awkwardly "Better go tell Sirius."

Tonks could tell that he didn't want to go, but she released his hand anyways. She smiled and bit her lip as he turned, grabbing the book she needed: _Werewolves and Their Partners_.

* * *

><p>Remus was sitting by the window, contemplating a great many things, when he heard a huge crash coming from down the hall. Worrying someone was hurt, he ran out of his room to find the source of the noise. He found Tonks, lying at the bottom of the stairs, rubbing the back of her neck. He chuckled and helped her up.<p>

"Fell down the stairs again?" Lupin asked before taking in what she was wearing. His eyes widened as he saw the pair of short sleeping shorts and a tank top. His heart started running, but he knew that he had to put a stop to what had been happening.

"Yeah, thanks Remus." Tonks said. It was then that she looked at Lupin's face, a mixture of awe and surprise. She raised an eyebrow and began walking towards him. "Surprised, Remus?" She asked teasingly. Winding her arms around his neck as she had done so many times before, she leaned in for a kiss.

Lupin put a hand on her shoulder, stopping her from coming in any further. "Dora, we can't."

"Why ever not, Remus? You never had a problem before."

"Dora, I'm too old, too poor. You deserve better."

"But I want you."

"I'm sorry Dora." The next time Remus saw her, her hair was significantly less pink.

* * *

><p>'<em>You see!' said a strained voice. Tonks was glaring at Lupin. 'She still wants to marry him, even though he's been bitten! She doesn't care!'<em>

'_It_'s_ different,' said Lupin, barely moving his lips and looking suddenly tense. 'Bill will not be a full werewolf. The cases are completely –'_

'_But I don't care either, I don't care!' said Tonks, seizing the front of Lupin's robes and shaking them. 'I've told you a million times …'_

_And the meaning of Tonks's Patronus and her mouse-coloured hair, and the reason she had come running to find Dumbledore when she heard a rumour someone had been attacked by Greyback, all suddenly became clear to Harry; it had not been Sirius that Tonks had fallen in love with after all …_

'_And I've told you a million times,' said Lupin, refusing to meet her eyes, staring at the floor, 'that I am too old for you, too poor … too dangerous …'_

'_I've said all along you're taking a ridiculous line on this, Remus,' said Mrs Weasley over Fleur's shoulder as she patted her on the back._

'_I am not being ridiculous,' said Lupin steadily. 'Tonks deserves somebody young and whole.'_

'_But she wants you,' said Mr Weasley, with a small smile._

After the rest of the crowd had left, Remus approached Tonks, who looked grumpy. "Dora, I-I really do like you."

"Really? You've got a funny way of showing it." Tonks retorted.

Remus looked downcast. "I thought I was doing what was best. You deserve-"

Tonks cut him off. "Did you ever consider that I might want you? You were always thinking of what I deserved, never of what I thought."

Tonks looked so crestfallen, Lupin decided to show her how he felt. He leaned in, turning her head to face him, and gave her the best kiss she had ever received. Tonks's eyes opened wide, her heartbeat speeding up and Lupin could feel her smiling into the kiss before pressing her lips to his.

When they broke apart, Remus took notice of the renewed pink of her hair.

* * *

><p><em>Boy, you got my heartbeat running away<em>

_Beating like a drum and it's coming your way_

_Can't you hear that boom badoom boom badoom boom bass?_

_Yeah, that's that super bass!_

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Hello! I hope you enjoyed my story! If you're a little confused, between the 3rd and the 4th mini-stories, Remus and Tonks began dating in secret. And if you're wondering about the lines at the end, I got the idea of this story while listening to _Super Bass_ by Nicki : I do not own any characters mentioned in this work, nor do I own the lines from Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, nor the lines to Super Bass.**


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